Economy

Apr
18
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Institutional Integrity: Has ABIA Public Service Workers Regained Lost Respect? – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Institutional Integrity: Has ABIA Public Service Workers Regained Lost Respect? – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance
Institutional Integrity: Has Abia Public Service Workers Regained Lost Respect? Historical ContextAbia State's civil service has historically been plagued by systemic corruption, ghost workers, unpaid salaries, and nepotism. Under former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the civil service faced accusations of mismanagement, including a divisive policy that delayed salaries and recruitment processes criticized for prioritizing clannishness over merit. Pensioners were neglected, with reports of unpaid gratuities stretching back years, culminating in a civil service perceived as dysfunctional and politically compromised. Governor Alex Otti's Reform EffortsSince assuming office in May 2023, Governor Alex Otti has launched ambitious reforms to restore institutional integrity. He…
Read More
Apr
18
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
The Daily Trinity: How Bread, Rice, And Fish Sustains Abia’s Heartbeat – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

The Daily Trinity: How Bread, Rice, And Fish Sustains Abia’s Heartbeat – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia North, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance
The Daily Trinity: How Bread, Rice, and Fish Sustain Abia’s Heartbeat By the banks of the Azumini River, in the shadow of Umuahia’s busy streets, and deep in Ohafia’s green valleys, three foods tell the story of a people who never give up. This is how bread, rice, and fish hold Abia together—one day at a time._ In the heart of Abia, a story of resilience unfolds through three staple foods: bread, rice, and fish. Meet Chika, the bread woman of Ubakala; Emeka, the rice farmer of Ohafia; and Ngozi, the fish smoker by the Azumini River. Despite struggles with…
Read More
Apr
17
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Dr. Alex Otti – Nigeria’s Most Performing Governor – By Chief Sir Polly Ubah

Dr. Alex Otti – Nigeria’s Most Performing Governor – By Chief Sir Polly Ubah

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Infrastructure, Politics
DR. ALEX OTTI-- NIGERIA'S MOST PERFORMING GOVERNOR In September of 2023, I wrote a piece about the newly sworn in Governor Alex Otti of Abia State captioned "THE EAGLE HAS FINALLY LANDED IN ABIA STATE." Immediately the article went viral, Abia State Bloggers paid by some enemies of the Governor from the opposition camp started profiling me and even attacked me. Some claimed that I was paid by the Governor, a man I have never spoken to before or even shook hands with. I'm only interested in good governance in Nigeria and if that leader is from the north or…
Read More
Apr
17
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Savouring Obasanjo’s Eventful 2-Day Visit To God’s Own State – By Eagle Okoro

Savouring Obasanjo’s Eventful 2-Day Visit To God’s Own State – By Eagle Okoro

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Infrastructure, Politics
Savouring Obasanjo's eventful 2-day visit to God's Own State - By Eagle Okoro Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (a.k.a OBJ), one of Africa's few living legends, had a swell time in Abia, God's Own State, between Thursday, April 11 and Friday, April 12. He was on a two-day working visit to the state at the instance of Gov. Chioma Alex Otti. The resoundingly successful "August Visit" was Obasanjo's second since 2000 when he first came on a similar working visit as the President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government. Other times were, of course, private visits to individuals and…
Read More
Apr
17
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Gov. Otti Vows To Transform ABIA Transport Sector, Says Transportation Is Vital To Economic Development

Gov. Otti Vows To Transform ABIA Transport Sector, Says Transportation Is Vital To Economic Development

Abia State, Economy, Good Governance, News Flash, Transportation
GOV. OTTI VOWS TOTRANSFORM ABIA TRANSPORT SECTOR, SAYS TRANSPORTATION IS VITAL TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has re-emphasized the critical role of transportation in the economic development and growth of Nigeria. Governor Otti was speaking on Tuesday, 16th April, during a meeting with a delegation of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), led by the New Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa. He described transportation as a sector that is very important to economic development and growth. While expressimg concerns that progress had stalled on the Umuahia to Enugu section of the railway corridor as they were originally…
Read More
Apr
16
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Abia’s Silent Crises: Battling Child Malnutrition With Data, Action, And Hope – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia’s Silent Crises: Battling Child Malnutrition With Data, Action, And Hope – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Health
Abia’s Silent Crisis: Battling Child Malnutrition with Data, Action, and Hope" Abia State faces a silent but devastating crisis: over half of rural children suffer from acute malnutrition, with stunting, wasting, and underweight rates soaring as high as 29.6% in some communities. These numbers are more than statistics—they represent a generation at risk. Rural areas bear the heaviest burden, where poverty, low maternal education, and food insecurity trap families in cycles of hunger. For example, 37.5% of caregivers in Umuahia South earn less than ₦40,000 monthly, leaving little room for nutrient-rich diets. Compounding this, only 44% of mothers know when…
Read More
Apr
15
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Governor Alex Otti’s Guiding Principles For The New ABIA Plan: A Singaporean-Inspired Odyssey Of Transformation – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Governor Alex Otti’s Guiding Principles For The New ABIA Plan: A Singaporean-Inspired Odyssey Of Transformation – By Dr. Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Politics
Governor Alex Otti’s Guiding Principles for the New Abia Plan: A Singaporean-Inspired Odyssey of Transformation“To build a society where merit thrives, opportunity abounds, and progress is etched into the soul of governance.” Abia’s journey toward renewal is rooted in the unyielding pragmatism that propelled Singapore from resource-poor island to global powerhouse. As your Governor, I embrace this ethos with clarity: our state’s revival demands disciplined vision, not political theatrics. Our history—from the ingenuity of the Aro Confederacy to the resilience of post-civil war reconstruction—proves our capacity for greatness. Today, with a GDP of $22.83 billion and 4.14 million citizens, we…
Read More
Apr
14
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Abia State’s Game -Changing ‘Made-In-Abia’ Policy: A Boost To Local Economy – By Ebere Uzoukwa, Ph.D (SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

Abia State’s Game -Changing ‘Made-In-Abia’ Policy: A Boost To Local Economy – By Ebere Uzoukwa, Ph.D (SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

Abia State, Business, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Economy, Good Governance, Politics
Abia State's Game-Changing 'Made-in-Abia' Policy: A Boost to Local Economy Ebere Uzoukwa, Ph.D The Abia State government's "Made-in-Abia" products policy is a bold initiative aimed at promoting local economic growth and development. By mandating the procurement of goods and services within the state, the government hopes to stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and improve infrastructure. This policy has the potential to be a game-changer for the local economy, and its impact will be felt across various sectors. One of the primary benefits of the "Made-in-Abia" policy is increased local spending. By procuring goods and services locally, the government will be…
Read More
Apr
13
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
World Bank Commits $16bn Portfolio To Nigeria

World Bank Commits $16bn Portfolio To Nigeria

CBN/Commercial Banking, Economy, FGN, News Flash
World Bank commits $16bn portfolio to Nigeria The World Bank said it has committed over $16 billion to Nigeria across 28 active projects. This financial commitment has been mostly through concessional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). In a statement on Saturday, the Bank said these investments are targeted at helping Nigeria tackle its most pressing development priorities. These include expanding access to essential services such as electricity, education, and healthcare, advancing gender inclusion and economic opportunities for women, and improving food security through enhanced agricultural productivity. As part of…
Read More
Apr
12
2025
0 Comments
By Abia ThinkTank
Fitch Upgrades Nigeria’s Credit Rating To Stable, Cites Confidence In Tinubu’s Reforms

Fitch Upgrades Nigeria’s Credit Rating To Stable, Cites Confidence In Tinubu’s Reforms

Economy, FGN, International, News Flash, Politics
Fitch Upgrades Nigeria’s Credit Rating To Stable, Cites Confidence In Tinubu’s Reforms Fitch, a global rating agency, has reviewed Nigeria’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) from negative to stable. IDR is an entity’s relative vulnerability to default (including by way of a distressed debt exchange) on financial obligations. In a statement on Friday, the agency said Nigeria’s outlook was revised to B’, from ‘B-‘. “The upgrade reflects increased confidence in the government’s broad commitment to policy reforms implemented since its move to orthodox economic policies in June 2023, including exchange rate liberalisation, monetary policy tightening and steps to end…
Read More